Through the years, a virtually endless array of toys and amusement articles have been created to entertain and amuse children of varying ages. In addition to amusement and entertainment value, many such created articles have endeavored to also provide some educational or developmental activity for the child user. One of the more instructional types of toys and amusement articles relates to devices operating in reliance upon aerodynamic principles. Examples of such toys and amusement articles are found in model airplanes, gliders and ground effect toys. Model airplanes are well known and have acquired a great degree of sophistication to the extent that they virtually replicate a conventional powered airplane. Numerous radio control mechanisms have been provided together with reliable airframes to permit the user to virtually fly the remote controlled model plane. Similarly, gliders have been constructed for many years and provide substantial instruction and entertainment for the user. In the more sophisticated types of gliders, movable control surfaces are provided which may be set in various combinations to control the flight of the launched glider. In the final type of aerodynamic activity toy, a ground effect phenomenon is utilized. Basically, ground effects toys have heretofore relied upon a captured or trapped cushion of air beneath the ground effect toy to provide a supporting air pocket.
Practitioners in the art have endeavored to develop many such toys utilizing the above aerodynamic principles. For example, in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,050 issued to Hill which is incorporated herein by reference and which sets forth a SURFACE SKIMMING TOY defining a generally planar base having a flat under surface. An upwardly extending fin is joined to the upper surface of the base member. In one embodiment, a lightweight aesthetically appealing body portion is supported upon the upper surface. In still further alternate embodiments, a pair of elongated upwardly extending side fins are secured to the upper surface of the planar base. The surface skimming toy is launched in close proximity to a smooth extended surface and assumes a skimming travel in close spacing to the surface while being supported upon an extremely thin layer of air flowing beneath the under surface of the skimming toy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,096 issued to Greenfield, Jr. sets forth a GROUND EFFECT TOY in which an elongated generally rectangular member is inclined at an acute angle with a surface over which the toy may be thrown. Continuously adjacent along the longitudinal edges and pending downwardly therefrom are two side skirts preferably having an acute triangular shape. In its preferred form a dorsal fin is disposed near the trailing edge of the toy. The toy is supported by ground effect air when moving forward with sufficient velocity to be supported upon a very low friction layer of air trapped within the cavity between the skirts. The trapped air leaks from beneath the lower edges of the side skirts and the trailing end of the toy to support the toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,334 issued to Goldfarb, et al. sets forth a TOY HOVERCRAFT APPARATUS in which a frame having an outwardly flaring skirt and downwardly projecting peripheral lip forms an air chamber beneath the outwardly flaring skirt. An electric motor supported centrally of the skirt rotates a fan located beneath the motor to draw air downwardly through vents in the upper portion of the skirt center and produce a pressurized air cushion in the chamber. The pressurized air cushion within the chamber flows outwardly beneath the peripheral lip while the air cushion of trapped pressurized air supports the hovercraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,622 issued to Lemelson sets forth a TOY TRACK in which a toy vehicle and toy trackway are provided. The toy vehicle is supported upon and encloses a portion of the vehicle track. An elongated chamber extends the length of the vehicle track and is coupled to a plurality of upwardly extending orifices. A supply of pressurized air is coupled to the elongated chamber to produce a plurality of air streams upwardly through the plurality of orifices. The toy vehicle is supported above the vehicle track by the upwardly directed air flowing from the orifices to produce a cushion of air between the vehicle and the track surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,142 issued to Reick sets forth TOYS AND GAMES USING SUPER-HYDROPHOBIC SURFACES in which a toy game or other play device includes a play surface coated with a super-hydrophobic material. Such materials are extremely water repellent whereby a drop of water applied thereto forms a ball which may be manipulated by a player to carry out predetermined play activities. In the alternative, a tiny vehicle or other toy having a hydrophilic coating thereon may be wetted with water and caused to skim upon the hydrophobic surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,301 issued to Myers sets forth an AMUSEMENT WATER SLIDE AND METHOD in which a method of adapting a hill to provide an amusement device corresponding to a water slide having a predetermined optional length rate of dissent and curvature is provided.
While the foregoing described toy and amusement articles have provided substantial entertainment and enjoyment, there remains a continuing need in the art for ever more improved and varied types of toys and amusement articles.